The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has reacted to speculation that there was an attempt to hand over the ECG App to Hubtel Company Limited at a service fee of four percent.
The
Ranking Member on Parliament’s Mines and Energy Committee, John Jinapor had
alleged that there were plans to hand over the management of the
ECG App to Hubtel Company Limited and that the Minority in Parliament was
willing to pursue the allegation.
Mr Jinapor had said
the Minority have received reports that Hubtel Company Limited would be
charging a service fee of four per cent when the ECG App is handed over to the
company.
“Handing over the App that was
developed by the ECG IT team itself that sells power at no cost, is it true
they are handing over that App to a company called Hubtel to charge a
service fee of four per cent or not? That is what we are picking,” Mr
Jinapor said.
ECG MD reaction
But
reacting to it at a press conference in Accra Thursday (October 6, 2022), the
Managing Director of ECG, Samuel Dubik Mahama denied agreeing on any
percentages with Hubtel.
"ECG hasn't agreed any
percentages with Hubtel."
"ECG
said, you [Hubtel] say you can do something, proof your concept, if your
concept works, what do we do, we agree to it then we see what we talk about it,
if your concept doesn't work, you step aside, then we move away."
"So
ECG has a proof of concept understanding with Hubtel," the MD explained.
'Gossip'
He
added: "It is quite sad that in this day when we have the Right to
Information Bill [Law], where you can get access to information, when you hear
gossip, you choose to run with gossip. It is not fair to some of us, it is
actually very painful, because you end up allowing and drawing attacks unto us,
especially me [MD]."
Mr Mahama said some of the things that
have been coming his way are "very scary, I'm just a human being too. I'm
just here to conduct a service for mother Ghana. I am helping ECG to fix its
loopholes. No need for us to start conjecture or start a gossip rumour that
will lead to people personally attacking me."
"I
am not here to ransack the company, so please, my doors are always opened, ECG
hasn't attempted, will not attempt, until the proof has been, there must be
proof of that said concept, what I will do for myself privately, I should
be able to do for ECG."
The
ECG MD said he will not take a whole national security asset and "dump it
like that".
"Again,
I must repeat, there is no contract with Hubtel. It is at a proof of concept
stage, they are attempting to proof their concept, if they are successful fine,
if they are not, we will look for other solutions," he added.